5 Things to know about proposing at Mt. Rainier (Paradise area)

Man holding his fiancee's entire body in his arms on a snow field in front of Mt. Rainier after proposing to her

#1 Know what time of year is best to propose

Many guys who reach out to me to photograph their proposal at Mt. Rainier typically don’t have a good understanding of the weather at Mt. Rainier. Even the guys from Seattle don’t know Rainier that well because it’s in a different geographical location than Seattle and at 14,411 feet elevation, it brings its own weather pattern that is different than towns close to it.

Based on my 15 years of photographing Rainier, I highly recommend you do your proposal in mid July till the end of August. The snow on the main paths leading up to the scenic views typically isn’t melted until July and can make your conditions a little risky, especially given the steep trails from the lodge. And of course you’ll want to see the colorful wildflowers display. See #4 below.

Image taken from webcam at Mt. Rainier Visitor Center at Paradise on April 3, 2024
Image taken from webcam at Mt. Rainier Visitor Center at Paradise on May 6, 2024
Image taken from webcam at Mt. Rainier Visitor Center at Paradise on June 5, 2023

#2 A timed entry pass is required (as of 2024)

Rainier is a very popular destination. Mount Rainier National Park has experienced a 40% increase in traffic over the past 10 years, leading to overcrowding in the summer. They are now requiring a separate “timed entry pass” in addition to the entrance fee to the park. Please check the link below to see if Mt. Rainier National Park is requiring it now since 2024 was a pilot year to determine if it should be implemented again. https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/timed-entry-reservations-faq.htm

#3 You’ll have more privacy during non-peak hours

As I mentioned in #1, I highly recommend you propose during July-August which means that is the peak season at Rainier. To avoid the huge crowds, I also recommend you start off between 7:30am and 8am or between 3pm and 4pm. The morning time is better for far less people but the time after 3pm is okay for not always having someone in front of you and behind you.

This couple started off at 8am so they didn’t have to deal with the huge crowds

#4 Don’t miss the wildflowers in July-August!

The wildflowers at Mt. Rainier are spectacular during July-August. For most years, the peak is around the first two weeks of August. It’s a nice bonus to the background scenes you’ll have in your proposal/engagement photos.

#5 Trails can be fairly steep when starting your hike up

I recommend that you’re physically fit before coming to Mt. Rainier. I don’t mean you need to have the condition of someone who is going to summit Rainier but you can’t be a couch potato either. The trails starting off at the Paradise Inn and Henry Jackson Visitor Center will get you huff’n and puff’n in no time. But after the first 20-30 minutes of hiking, you’ll be past the steeper slopes and onto a more gradual path up. Fortunately, because of the cool weather of the mountain, most of the couples I photograph don’t sweat. And if you do sweat, it’s no problem. We will just take breaks more often and go at a slower pace.